Gardening tips for September 2011
Economy borders
Owners of brand new plots, folk like me who've lost tender plants during the last two cold winters and those who've recently cleared overgrown gardens will all be looking for ways of filling gaps cheaply. I love the challenge of filling borders on a budget, because it brings out the canny gardener in me. And somehow the plants take on a special character when they've been scrounged, divided or raised from seed and nursed along to full size.
Now is a brilliant time to do this because as the weather grows cooler and when rain moistens the soil, hardy plants that form clumps can be lifted out of the ground, split into smaller portions and put back in again. Never be afraid of creating large groups of one thing or repeating them around the garden because from a design point of view, this looks better and is less bitty than having lots of different plants.
So what might be ready for dividing during September and October? Large clumps of hardy geraniums, columbines, phlox, heleniums and so on. If this is a foreign language to you, then assume that anything clumpy that flowered during summer is good to go. Only a few like late flowering anemones and ornamental grasses are best left until spring. Cut stems back to leave a tuft of 10-15cm/4-6in and then lift the plant by prising it up all around with a large garden fork. To divide large clumps you can either push two forks in through the middle, back to back with their tines close together and use them to lever the roots apart. Or saw through the clump using an old serrated-edged kitchen knife. Keep going until you have portions about 15cm/6in across and don't be frightened - these plants are tough and will put up with a lot.
Now space the clumps 30cm/12in away from each other in groups where you want them and when happy with the arrangement, plant into good, well-nourished soil. You can even try interspersing them or running one type into another if you think they'll go well together. If you don't like the effect, you can always move them again next autumn. Never be scared to have a go because in gardening, trying things out and watching the results is the only real way to learn.
What to do now......
......in the kitchen garden
* Remove the older leaves from squash and pumpkin to let in sun and air for full ripening of fruits.
* Plant winter lettuce and other hardy salads under glass in cold areas and to be covered with cloches or frames in milder regions.
* Pick apples when they are ready to come away with stalk attached when lifted gently, before they fall.
......in the flower garden
* Save seed of plants you would like to grow more of, as long as they are not F1 hybrids (these are highly bred and don't come true.
* Plant spring flowering bulbs except tulips which are best planted late October or November which helps keep them disease free.
* Add wallflowers, primroses and forget-me-nots to flower in spring.
......and in general
* Start clearing away summer flowers and crops as they finish and spread a mulch of well-rotted compost, leaf mould or manure over the empty soil.
* Lay new turf when the soil is moist, or sow grass seed. Soil must have been dug, allowed to settle, firmed and raked first.
* Wash greenhouse shading off greenhouse roofs to let plenty of light in during winter.
Q and A
Q: We have quite a few Apricots on the bush this year and they are a good size and colour but are still very hard. Shall we harvest them and bring them indoors to ripen or leave them a bit longer on the bush?
A: Stone fruits like apricots, cherries and plums are best left on the bush or tree until they begin to soften and ripen but well before they begin to fall (a few fallen fruits is usually a sign that picking can start). Fruits should come away easily in the hand. Pears like 'Conference' are picked while hard, stored and ripened by bringing them into a warm room.
Q: I have a large monkey puzzle tree in the garden and can't get grass or other plants to grow under the branches (7ft from the ground).
A: This problem will alleviate as the tree grows and the lower branches drop, as on mature monkey puzzles all the growth is at the tops. In the meantime I would mulch with shingle and have a mixture of Polystichum setiferum (a fern tolerant of dry shade) and containers with shade-tolerant bedding for summer and bulbs for spring.
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Comments:
"Hi Aileen, i will pass this on to Anne our gardening expert and will let you know soon! xxx "
Webteam Candis - Friday 2nd Sep 2011
"just bought some of the flowers you mention,i am now looking for some rockery plants when i wonder do you plant these for best results"
aileen Rudd - Thursday 1st Sep 2011